Another Cablevision Exec Leaves As Analysts Question Jim Dolans Game Plan

Marketing EVP Jonathan Hargis, who has been with the company since 2000, is the latest high level exec to bolt — and that’s sure to leave investors even more baffled than they were before about CEO Jim Dolan’s plans forCablevision. The official word is that Hargis will resign this month “to pursue other opportunities.” But the company release didn’t name a replacement,which suggests that Jim’s wifeKristin — who’s senior executive vice president of product management and marketing, and a member of the Cablevision board– will play a bigger role.Analysts who have tried to determine how broad a mandate she has, and how Jim plans to manage things, say that they’ve yet to hear satisfying answers. Prior to Hargis’ departure, BTIG’s Rich Greenfield urged management explain how Kristin fits in. “We believe she has been taking the marketing reins (unclear whether John Hargis is still with the company and what is role is) and is currently leading the companys efforts to re-orient the marketing message for all of Cablevisionscable products,” Greenfield wrote.He isn’t the only one who’s concerned: The Street was stunned late last year when John Bickman resigned as president of cable communications, closely followedby respected COO Tom Rutledge (now CEO of Charter). That left Cablevision’s management team with “big holes,” Bernstein Research analyst Craig Moffett said before the latest departure. Last week Jim Dolan declined to tell analysts on an earnings call why Rutledge left.

'Kyle XY' Actor Joins ABC Family Comedy 'Baby Daddy

ABC Family is keeping it, well, in the family."Kyle XY" actor Jean-Luc Bilodeau has been cast in the cable network's new comedy series, "Baby Daddy," set to premiere this summer.Additionally, "Reba" alumna Melissa Peterman has been upped to series regular. Cast members include Chelsea Kane, Derek Theler and Tahj Mowry.In the half-hour multicamera series, Bilodeau will play Ben, who suddenly becomes a father to a baby girl when she is left at his doorstep by an ex-girlfriend. Ben decides to raise the baby with the help of his mother Bonnie (Peterman), his brother Danny (Theler) and his friends Tucker (Mowry) and Riley (Kane), who has a secret crush on him."Baby Daddy," which begins production in the spring and will be filmed in front of a live audience in Los Angeles, comes from Dan Berendsen ("The Nine Lives of Chloe King").Bilodeau played Josh Trager on "Kyle XY." He also has appeared on "No Ordinary Family" and can be seen on the big screen in "LOL" and "Piranha 3DD." The Hollywood Reporter

Fox moves 'Finder' to Fridays

Fox is moving "The Finder" to Fridays at 8 p.m. beginning April 8. The rookie series is making room for the next newcomer drama, "Touch," the network moved the other day to "Finder's" current time slot, Thursdays at 9 p.m., after initially organizing the Kiefer Sutherland starrer on Monday. "Finder" will enter time slot presently held by "Kitchen Bad dreams or nightmares.Inch Last Thursday episode of "Finder" is March 8. Contact Andrew Wallenstein at andrew.wallenstein@variety.com

Who's Playing Booth and Brennan inside the Bones Movie?

Scott Bakula remains approached for just about any recurring role on Desperate Regular folks, TVGuide.com has confirmed. As first reported by TVLine, Bakula would play Bree's yet-to-be-named new lawyer. Inside the original casting call, the level of smoothness is known to love a... Discover More > Other Links From TVGuide.com Desperate HousewivesQuantum LeapStar Trek: EnterpriseScott BakulaChuckMen from the Certain Age

SAG-AFTRA Pro- and Anti-Merger Websites

The SAG-AFTRA anti-merger camp has set up its own website: http://www.sagaftraminorityreport.com/. This is because SAG leadership won’t let the anti-merger grouppost on the official Screen Actors Guild website or on the SAG-AFTRA pro-merger website http://www.sagaftra.org/. Naturally there are dueling videos: anti-merger SAG National Board member and movie actor Ed Harris vs pro-merger TV actors from Modern Family, for instance:

Netflix to get rid of share of top movies

Losing the Netflix-Starz agreement may well be more acutely felt one of the 2010 records, including Disney's 'Toy Story 3.'The impending expiration of Netflix's movie cope with Starz in the finish from the month will reduce its share of the market of top movies available among subscription VOD services, based on new data put together by investment firm Piper Jaffray.Netflix continues to have 17% from the greatest grossing movies within the U.S. of history 2 yrs, probably the most associated with a service. But in the finish of Feb that 17% figure drops to 11% when Netflix's distribution cope with Starz expires. That's still a large number in comparison with zero at Netflix rivals Amazon . com Prime Instant Videos and Hulu Plus, that has always situated itself weight loss of the hub for catch-up viewing of Tv show than films. While only among the top 50 movies of 2011, Disney's "Gnomeo and Juliet," was based on the pact, losing that agreement may well be more acutely felt one of the 2010 records, where three from the top 12 box-office draws of this year all originated from Disney including No. one inchPlaything Story 3," in addition to "Twisted" and "Tron Legacy." Two more Disney films, "Prince of Persia: The Sands of your timeInch and "The Sorcerer's Apprentice," have been in the very best 50 too. Another studio covered within the Starz deal, The new sony Pictures, doesn't have records within the top 50 from either year because high-grossing game titles like "The Karate Kid" were already taken off Netflix because of another contractual dispute between Starz and The new sony.The Starz films -- licensed for less than $20-$ 30 million in 2008 -- were viewed as instrumental to Netflix' rapid growth through the years. But founder Reed Hastings suggested for his letter to traders recently associated 4th-quarter earnings the 15 Disney movies incorporated within the deal only constituted 2% of total viewing. Netflix formerly believed that all the content covered within the Starz deal symbolized 8% of total viewing, however the streaming service has since re-licensed a few of the content too.Whilst total top game titles might not be the most crucial indicator of the subscription VOD service's value, given they typically tout the effectiveness of their lengthy-tail catalog, Netflix has put growing focus on being able to obtain programming within the pay-TV window through handles Relativity, EPIX and Open Road. The brand new data provides a glimpse in to the comparative talents from the rival subscription VOD services. While both companies get noticed for every deal they create with galleries as well as their total amount of game titles, gauging the amount of most widely used game titles supplies a obvious approach to comparison. However, box-office receipts and television rankings does not always mean these game titles retain their relative recognition online.However the research also found Netflix is finding more momentum around the TV side, where it's closing the space on Hulu Also in the supply of top Television shows. Hulu Plus presently provides 49% from the greatest ranked Tv show in the last 2 yrs in comparison to 44% for Netflix on a single measure. When Piper Jaffray experts checked in on companies last August, Netflix what food was in 32% while Hulu Plus what food was in 53%. While Netflix continues to be referred to as a film-centric service, chief content officer Ted Sarandos indicated late this past year that 50-60% of their total viewing originates from TV programming.Amazon . com paid for for just 6% of top Television shows, up from 1% last August. Amazon . com introduced the 2009 week that it is Prime library had arrived at 15,000 game titles after twelve months running a business. Contact Andrew Wallenstein at andrew.wallenstein@variety.com

Oscar venue: Hollywood & Highland Center

A Wednesday news release announcing Meryl Streep just like a presenter means venue since the Hollywood & Highland Center.When the Oscar telecast is broadcast worldwide over a couple of days, it'll derive from the Hollywood and Highland Center, not the Kodak Theater -- nor will the theater possess a new sponsor's title. It's unclear whether CIM Group, the entrepreneurs in the venue, will get rid of the Kodak title in the prominent place within the red-colored-colored carpet and fan bleachers by Sunday. But CIM has asked for the Academy to produce no further mention of the Kodak, and AMPAS has complied: A Wednesday news release announcing Meryl Streep just like a presenter means venue since the Hollywood and Highland Center. Incorporated in the personal personal bankruptcy proceedings this month, Kodak received court approval to avoid obligations to CIM and possess its title taken lower. The judge's ruling didn't specify a period-frame, leading to each week of speculation when the theater could be referred to as Kodak come Oscar time. Meanwhile, Hollywood and Highland owner CIM Group is positively pursuing a sponsor to relabel the theater. Variety learned the other day that three suitors were interested, however it doesn't appear a deal could possibly get carried out time to provide a status for that 2010 show. Heading within the talks for CIM is Santa Monica-based naming rights and speaking to firm Premier Partners, that's settling with entrepreneurs. CIM was approached by a few interested companies right after Eastman Kodak first petitioned an individual personal bankruptcy court to void its naming-rights offer the conclusion from the month of the month of january, including Dell Computer, which sooner or later presented a deal. Even though Academy of motion Picture Arts and Sciences is not positively mixed up in process, it'll hold the energy to veto any sponsor it deems unacceptable. Planners would prefer to a brand name getting a hyperlink using the film biz or by getting an trendy pedigree. Kodak has held the rights since the theater opened up up in 2002. Its exit coincides while using Academy of motion Picture Arts and Sciences exercising its to buy another venue. Academy prexy Tom Sherak told Variety the other day the Academy remains approached by other venues, but CIM is presently really the only group it's presently settling. Contact Christy Grosz at christy.grosz@variety.com